Wait A Little Longer

Friday, December 20, 2013, 7:35 a.m. – I woke up periodically through the night. Each time I woke up, the song “Songs in the Night” was playing in my mind. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 6-7 (quoting 6:9-11; 7:9-17 NIV 1984):

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed…

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat upon them,
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

The Book of Revelation is from Jesus Christ, which God the Father gave to him to show his servants what must soon take place. This was written nearly 2,000 years ago. Jesus spoke through the apostle John who recorded the words of Jesus Christ. This book, or letter, was written to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Contained inside the whole book is also seven letters to each individual church group, in which Jesus encouraged or applauded them in what they were doing that was right, but scolded or chastised them concerning what they were doing that was in error, warning them of impending judgment if they did not repent, but promising hope and rewards for the faithful and the overcomers. This book of Revelation, though written specifically to these seven churches, was written to the church of all ages, for each one of us can identify in some way with at least one of these seven churches, and we are all part of the overall body of Christ, and much or all of what was written here was to tell the church what she should expect to come from that point on.

Jesus Christ was the one found worthy to open the scrolls, for he is the Lamb of God who shed his blood on the cross for our sins and bought us back (redeemed us) for God. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords over all the earth. When he walked the face of this earth, he told his disciples of the things that were to come after he left them, and of the signs of the end of the age. He said there would be wars and rumors of war, earthquakes, famine, pestilence, many deaths, a great rebellion, a great falling away from the faith, many false teachers (or antichrists), much deception, and that his followers would be hated and persecuted, and that many would be imprisoned and/or killed for their testimony for Jesus and for the sake of the gospel of Christ. And, that is the message here in Revelation, as well. Jesus said that first there would be birth pains, and then the labor, and then the birth of the end of the age, basically, so all these things would take place over a long period of time, but the worst of times would be for a short period of time at the very end.

Many throughout the world right now are suffering greatly via war, famine, disease, weather-related disasters, intrigue, deception, and the conquering of their nations via the New World Order (Beast), and many, as well are suffering severe persecution and death for their testimonies for Jesus Christ. This type of severe persecution is not familiar to most of us here in the USA, but believe me, it is happening, and I believe it is happening at the hands of the US government and their allies, comprising this global one-world government in the works. I believe they create these difficult scenarios in other nations so that they can go into these countries under the guise of “savior,” but in reality as “conqueror.” Their goal, I believe, is to conquer all governments and kingdoms of the world and to bring them underneath the New World Order (Beast), as well as it is to rid the world of those who hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ, and especially those who are sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and are leading the people of this world to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives, for we stand as a major threat to Satan’s kingdom rule on the earth.

The Martyred Saints

These two chapters of Revelation picture those who have been martyred for their faith as crying out to God for him to judge those who are killing Christ’s messengers and to put an end to all the suffering, but Jesus Christ tells them to wait a little longer until the number of those to be killed is completed. God has a reason for it all, and I believe it is two-fold: 1) To bring his adulterous church back to a walk of faithful submission to him, and 2) To spread the gospel of Jesus Christ via the persecuted church so that many people will be saved before the great wrath of God is poured out on this earth and before Jesus Christ returns and then we no longer have the opportunity to receive Christ and eternal life.

So, those who are being persecuted for their faith should give praise to God for his wisdom and his judgment in all of this, and we should thank him and honor him, too, for he knows what is best for us all. We should love him, praise him and thank him for his great salvation to us, and believe him for the revival of his church and the salvation of many lives in the days ahead, via this time of great persecution coming upon the body of Christ. And, we should continue to serve him in sharing the truths of God’s word, even if it means being hated, persecuted, ostracized, rejected, imprisoned, beaten, and/or our deaths. One day he will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Amen! And, in that we can rejoice!

Songs in the Night / An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God,
And the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.
You, my Savior, I now adore.
Hope in heaven awaiting me,
Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,
And I’m bound for heaven.
Jesus set me free from
All my sin, I say.
I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:
Overcame death, my vict’ry won!
Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!
I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!
My sin is but hist’ry!
I am free to please Him
With my life today.
I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me
A new life bought at Calvary.
Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.
Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;
Through my Lord, I’m able
To sit at His table;
Fellowship with Him.
I will thank Him always!